Insulated shorting plug and mating electrical sockets



July 17, 1962 3,1.. KNANlsHU 3,045,077

INSULATED SHORTING PLUG AND MATING ELECTRICAL SOCKETS Fi1ed Deo. 15, 1959 7 s sheets-sheet 1 PLT SUP

INVENTOR 37 Se Sander ./fzazzLS/zu ATTORNEYS July 17, 1962 s. l.. KNANISHU INSULATED SHORTING PLUG AND MATING ELECTRICAL SOCKETS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed DeC. l5, 1959 IN VE N TOR Jazdern. limb/zzz TTORNEYS July 17, 1962 s. l.. KNANISHU 3,045,077

INSULATED sHoRTING PLUG AND MATING ELECTRICAL socxETs Filed Dec. l5, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 SUR l CAT.

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n //jll 1 54 INVENTOR we HIM l l "1s Sander ../zazLJ/IJ ATTORNEYl United States Patent @trice 3, 45,677 ESULATED SHGRTNG PLUG AND MATEN@ ELECTRICAL SCKETS Sander L. Knanishu, 28 Andre Ave., Tappan, NX. Filed Dec. 15, 1959, Ser. No. 859,784 7 Claims. (Cl. 20D-46) The present invention relates to an improvedelectrical connecting system involving a plurality of insulated shorting plugs which are used in conjunction with a plurality of mating electrical sockets, the'shorting plugs being placed selectively in different corresponding sockets depending upon diiferent conditions of use.

The idea of providing a quick and reliable connection between two contacts is a problem which 'has long been recognized in the field to which the present invention generally pertains, and many proposals have been put forward in an attempt to provide a satisfactory solution to the problem. However, as will hereinafter appear, the present invention provides a quicker and more reliable solution to this problem than has been attained hereto'- fore by previous proposals.

The present invention can be best explained, purely for purposes of illustration and not by way of limiting example, in connection with a cross-connecting board comprising a plurality of vertically extending connectorv bars arranged in a substantially vertical plane and a second group of horizontally extending connector bars arranged in a second vertical plane spaced with respect to the lrst vertical plane. Each of the connector bars of one group passes adjacent each of the connector bars of the other group, and, at the corresponding opposed positions, there are aligned holes through the bars. Preferably, an insulating member is provided between the two groups of bars, this member also serving as a spacer. Thus, each pair of aligned holes constitutes a socket in which one of the shorting plugs of the present invention may be inserted as desired.

The shorting plug of the present invention includes three basic elements; (l) a cylindrical conductive member which ts into the hole of one connector bar and extends through the insulating material toward one of the transverse connector bars but not in contact therewith; (2) a conductive rod which is slidably mounted in a suitable central ybore` in the conductive cylinder and which has a portion extending into and beyond the hole cf the transverse connector bar contacting the latter connector bar in the region adjacent the hole; and (3) a helical spring which surrounds the rod and which is received within a cavity located in the cylindrical element,

the spring `bearing against one end of the cavity and against an abutment on the slidable rod for the purpose of continuously urging the rod in a direction tending torincrease the degree of contact between the shorting plug and the two connector bars. Also, the shorting plug includes insulated portions around the external drical element and slidable rod.

ThereforeLit is a principal object of the present invention to provide shorting plugsr of the type described above which can be employed in the aforementioned suitable mating sockets and which provides a means for connecting the two conductive portions of the socket in a manner much quicker and much more reliable than heretofore attained with prior art proposals purportedly capable of solving the same general problem.

lt is a further object of the present invention Vto provide a plurality of shorting plugs of the type referred to above for use in conjunction with a cross-connecting board having a iirst plurality of connector bars running in a given direction in a single plane and a second plurality of connector bars running in a transverse direction in a second plane spaced from the rst'plane.

Other and further obiects and advantageous features ing a cross-connecting board and a plurality of shorting v plugs for the purpose of providing a simple and eilicient means of connecting the various elements selectively with the various supply voltages;

FIGURE 2 Vis alongitudinal cross section through one of the shorting plugs of the present invention showingV its relation with a pair of connector bars;

FlGURE 3 is a fragmentary front elevation, with certain parts broken away, of the cross-connecting board employed in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary cross section, on a-slightly enlarged scale, taken along section line `li-4 of FIG- URE 3;

FIGURE 5 is a plan view of a selector card (representing a triode) for use in conjunction with the present invention; l

FIGURE 6 is a cross-,sectional view,similar to FIG- URE 2, showing a modification of the present invention; and i FIGURES 7 and 8 are perspective views of the conductive elements shown in the socket of FIGURE 6,.

Referring to the drawings in detail, FIGURE 1 shows a tube tester 2d having a plurality of different size tube sockets '21, 22 and 23, these sockets having seven, eight and nine holes, respectively, to provide for the prongs of the corresponding tubes which would be inserted in the e sockets. Located internally of the tube tester (see now parts of the cylin- FGURE 3) are a plurality of vertically extending connector bars l to 9, inclusive. Thus, the seven holes of the tube socket 21 would be connected, in order, to the rst seven vertical connector bars l to 7, inclusive; similarly, the holes of the tube socket 22 would be connected in sequence to the first eight vertical connector bars; and nally, the nine holes of the tube socket 23 would be connected in sequence to the all of the nine vertical connector bars.

A second plurality of connector bars, horizontally extending in this case, is located above the vertically extending series; these horizontally extending connector bars are designated by the reference characters 30 to 36, respectively. A flat Sheet of insulating material 37 i`s located between the horizontally Yextending and vertically extending connector bars. Also, with respect to the tube tester shown in FlGURE 1, there Vis an'outer sheet of material 38, which may be plastic or other suitable material, which serves asrthe face or outer panel of the tube tester 20. The panel 33 is marked with suitable indicia and also has associated therewith suitable dials, meters, etc. which form no part of the present invention but F `vhich are illustrated in FIGURE l consistent with the idea that this device is, in fact, a tube tester.

'The horizontally extending connector bars Sti to 36,

' inclusive, are designated on the surface of panel 38 as PLT, SUP, SCR, GRD, CAT, FIL, and GND, respectively. Thus, the connector bar 36 is `connected by means of suitable internal wiring to a portion of the circuit (not points, where one of the horizontal connector bars passes shown) of the tube tester where the plate voltage is supplied. Similarly, the connector bar 31 is connected suitably to thatV portion of the tube tester circuit where the suppressor voltage is supplied. Likewise, the two horizontal connector bars 3S and 36 are connected to voltage supply for the lament.

All of the vertical connector bars 1 to 9,r inclusive, are` f crossed with respect to each of the horizontally extending connector bars 30 to 36 inclusive. .At each of the QpPQsed over one of the vertical lconnector bars, there are aligned 3,045,077v Patented July 17, 1952 description of the draw.

holes 4@ and 41 in the horizontal and vertical bars, respectively. through the insulating member 37 which is in alignment with the holes 46 and 41. The holes 43, 4l and 4Z are substantially of the same diameter throughout and constitutc, in each instance, a socket for the shorting plug later to be described. Since there are nine vertical connector bars and seven horizontal connector bars, it follows that there would be sixty three individual sockets in which the shorting plug of the present invention may be inserted. In the panel 38 a larger hole is located above cach of the aligned holes 40, 41 and 42..

In the illustration of FIGURE 3 there is shown a separate and shorter horizontal connector bai 45 which is not crossed with respect to any of the vertical connector bars previously described. However, the horizontal connector bar 45 has associated therewith a series of elements 46 to 51 inclusive which are insulated from and spaced with respect to the horizontal connector bar 45 in the same manner that the vertical connector bars previously described are spaced from and insulated with respect to the longer horizontally extending connector bars which have also been previously described. In this sense, the elements 46 to 51, inclusive, may be considered either as another series of abbreviated vertical connector bars or preferably a type of terminal lug, the hole of which is in the shape of an eyelet. The inside diameter of the eyelet is the same as the inside of the socket hole. The eyelet shaped lug is fastened by suitable means to the insulator spacer board in alignment with the socket hole. A terminal extending from each eyelet is used to connect these contact elements to the proper circuit. There are correspinding aligned holes through the horizontal connector bar 45 and through each of the elements 46 to 5l, inclusive, as well as through the outer panel 3S andthe intermediate insulating member 37. The individual elements 46 to 51, inclusive, are connected to the different taps on the filament voltage transformer (not shown) and are therefore capable of providing 1.5, 3, 4, 5, 6.3, and 12.6 volts, respectively. The connector ibar 45 is also connected, by means of internal wiring, to the horizotnal connector bar 35.

As best shown in FIGURE 2, the insulated plug 53 of the present invention includes a cylindrical and electrically conductive portion 54 which is adapted to fit into the holes 40 of the horizontally extending connector bars, for example bar 35. This cylindrical portion S4 also extends part Way into the hole 42 in the insulating member 37. The diameter of the cylindrical portion 54 is such that it engages the horizontal connector bars in the region surrounding the hole 46 andV thus makes an electrical con nection therewith. The cylindrical portion 54 is integral with an outwardly extending and hollow cylindrical portion 55 which is of larger external diameter than the cylindrical portion 54.

The smaller cylindrical portion 54 is provided with a central bore 56 in which a vertical rod 57 is slidably received. The lower end of the vertical rod S7 is bent, as at 58, and is provided with a short upwardly extending vertical portion 59 which has the effect of giving the rod 57 a double thickness at its lower end. The vertical portion S9 is slightly rounded at its upper end and is adapted to contact the edge of a vertical connecter bar, such as connector bar 1, in the region surrounding the hole 4l, the lower edge of which is preferebly outwardly rounded as shown in FIGURE 2.

The larger cylindrical portion S of the shorting plug 53 is provided with an internal cavity 6G in which is received a helical spring 61. The upper end of the slidable rod 57 is provided with an enlarged portion 62 which is adapted to slide freely in the cavity i. The helical spring 61 (preferably made of bronze) surrounds the rod 57 and bears against the lower end of the cavity 66 and also against the lower surface of the enlarged portion 62 of the slidable rod 57. Thus, the spring 6l is constantly Also, there is a further aligned hole i2 urging the rod 57 in an upward direction with respect to the cylindrical members S4 and 55, respectively. The cylindrical portion 55 is surrounded by an insulating sleeve 63. The upper end 52 of the slidable rod 57 is provided with an insulating cap 64. The outer diameter of the insulating sleeve 63, in its lower region, is such as to provide a small amount of clearance between the plug and the hole 43 which is provided in the panel 3S. Insulating portions 63 and 64 permit the manual removal and insertion, respectively, of the shorting plug of the present invention.

Referring again to FIGURE 2, the shorting plug of the present invention can be considered as comprising three separate and distance elements. The first element is the cylindrical member 54 (including its outwardly extending portion 5S) which provides electrical contact with the horizontal connector bar 35. The second element is the slidable rod 57 which is in electrical contact with the cylindrical portion S4 and which, at the same time, has a portion 59 providing electrical contact between the plug and one of the vertical connector bars 1. The third basic element of the shorting plug is the helical spring 61 which surrounds the rod 57 within the cavity 60. Of course, the insulating members 63 and 64 are necessary to prevent shocks, etc.

in order to remove the shorting plug of the present invention from one of the sockets it is merely necessary to pull upwardly or outwardly on the insulating portion 63 and the entire plug will be lifted from the socket.

As shown in FIGURE 2, the shorting plug 53 provides an electrical connection between the vertical connector bar 1 and the horizontal connector bar 35. In the event that it is desirable to interrupt, momentarily, the connection between the two elements shown, it is merely necessary to push downwardly on the insulating plug 64 in which case the rod 57 will be pushed downwardly such that the portion 59 will be released from contact with the vertical connector bar l; thus, the connection will be broken for whatever period of time the insulating plug 65 is depressed.

VWith respect to FIGURE l, after the particular tube has been placed in one of the tube sockets 21, 22 or 23, a suitable number of shorting plugs 53 will be placed in the proper holes corresponding to the desired pin connections for the particular tube being tested; for example, if the tube which is being tested has eight pins and if the third pin is connected to the plate of the tube, a shorting plug 53 will be inserted in the socket of the upper row designated as PLT in the number 3 position. Assuming that this particular tube being tested is a triode, then there will be no suppressor and screen connections and hence, in the second and third horizontal rows, the plugs 53 will be placed in the 0 position. If the grid of the tube is connected to the fth pin, in the horizontal row designated as Il the shorting plug 53 will be placed in the number 5 position. Assuming that the cathode of the tube corresponds with the eighth pin, then the shorting plug 53 will be placed in the number 8 position in the horizontal row designated as CAT Likewise, the last two rows corresponding to the iilaments of tubes will be connected in the No. 2 and No. 7 positions, respectively. Assuming the required filament voltage is 6.3 volts, then a shorting plug 53 will be connected in the FIL VOLTS row (bar 45) at the position 6.3.

One of the substantial advantages of the present invention resides in the fact that the connection is made completely by the shorting plug itself without requiring any additional external wires.

Also, the shorting plug of the present invention is simply and easily removed or inserted in accordance with the demands of a particular situation. The shorting plug 53 of the present invention may be left as long as desired in the particular socket, making a continuous connection between the two elements at the opposite ends of the sockets but, at the same time, the rod 57-may be depressed by pushing downwardly on the insulating button 64 for the purpose of providing a momentary interruption of the connection.

One of the additional features of the present invention resides in the use of the selector card 66 shown in FG- URE'S. This selector card 66 is also shown in crosssection in FIGURE 2 and in dotted lines in FIGURE l. Each one of these selector cards (and there may be a considerable number of different cards to satisfy different conditions) is preferably made of plastic or vinyl and is prepunched to correspond to a particular condition of use. For example, with all of the plugs 53 removed from the left hand area of FIGURE y1, corresponding to the cross-connecting board, a given selector card 66 is placed over the holes constituting the exterior of the cross connecting board in such a manner that a condition of alignment is achieved with the various pin positions l to 9, inclusive, and the various designations indicated along the left hand margin. When such a condition is achieved, the various holes 67, 68, 69, 7i), 7l and 72. will be positioned directly above sockets which will later be occupied by the plugs 53. All that remains is for the operator to insert the plugs 53 in the various holes and the conditions called for by the particular selector card will be fulliilled.

Each selector card will be suitably marked as to the type of tube for which the card is designed. For example, as indicated above, the cross-connecting board of FIGURE l has been set up for operation in connection with a typical triode. Likewise, the holes in the selector card of FIGURE correspond exactly with the pin connections on the cross-connecting board of FIGURE l. Thus, the hole 67 corresponds with the plug 53 which is placed in the number 3 position on the line designated as PLT. The next hole 68, corresponds to the plug 53 which is in the number 5 position in the line designated as GRD The last hole 72 corresponds to the position of the plug 53 in the hole corresponding to 6.3 in the line designated as FIL VOLTS. It should be` quite apparent that the use of these prepunched selector cards will be particularly useful and time saving in the testing of various and different tubes.

FIGURE 6 shows a modification of the present invention involving the employment of a somewhat different type of socket, the same plug 53 being used in this instance- The sockets shown in FIGURE 6 may be mounted on any type of insulated or non-insulated panel, since the main body 75 is made of insulating material such that it can be mounted merely by making a hole in-the panel 76. The neck of the main body 75 is provided with suitable threads on which is received a nut 77 which holds the body l75 against the panel 76.y Two conducting elements 78 and 79, are secured within the body 75 in spaced-apart relation. Conducting elements 78 and 79' are essentially in the shape of terminal lugs, except that the hole in the element 78 is in the shape of an eyelet. Thus, the inner contact area of the element 79 is curved upwardly merging with the inner bore of the main body 75. When the shorting plug 53 is inserted into the socket of FIGURE 6, the rounded upper end of vertical portion 59 of the rod 57 cornes into contact with the cur-ved sur-face of the contact element 79'. The upper shoulder on the cylindrical portion 54 of `the plug 53 will come in contact with the upper surface of the conducting element 78.

Whereas the present invention has been described in particular relation to the drawings attached hereto, it should be understood that other and further modifications of the present invention apart from those shown or suggested herein might be made within the spirit and scope of this invention.

What is claimed is:

l. An improved electrical connecting system compris- 5 ing a .rst contact element lying ina irst plane, a second contact element arranged at an angle to and lying -in a second plane spaced with respect to said first plane, insulating means located between said rst and second contact element-s, each of said contact elements and saidv in-y sulating means being provided with at least one aligned p hole extending therethrough at a .location where said bars pass opposite to one another, a shorting plug forfconnecting said first contact element with said second contact element, said shorting plugrcomprising a cylindrical and.

electrically conductive sleeve adapted to t into one of the holes of said rst contact element and to extend at least partly into the corresponding aligned hole in saidV insulating means, said cylindrical sleeve having a central bore extending longitudinally therethrough, and electrically conductive rod slidalbly received in the central bore l of said cylindrical sleeve, said rod having yat its inner end an abutment projecting through the corresponding aligned' portion of said cavity and against the inner end of said insulated head.

2. An improved electrical `connecting system comprising 'a iirst plurality of parallel connector bars arranged in a iirst plane, a second plurality of parallel connector bars arranged transversely :and in a second plane spaced with respect to said first plane,` insulating means located between said first and second pluralities of connector bars, said connector bars lbeing provided with a plurality of aligned holes extending therethrough at locations Where said bars pass opposite toone another, a plurality of shorting plugs for connecting `any one of said trst plurality of bars with any one of said vsecond plurality of bars, each said shorting plug comprising a cylindrical and electrically conductive sleeve adapted to t into one of the holes of one of said Ibars of said first plurality and to extend at least partly into the corresponding aligned hole in said insulating means, said cylindrical sleeve having a central bore extending longitudinally therethrough, an electrically conductive rod slidably received in the central bore of said cylindrical sleeve, saidvrod having at its inner end an abutment projecting through the corresponding aligned hole in a transverse connector bar and contacting said transverse connector bar, said cylindrical sleeve having an outwardly extending insulated portion, the outer end of said slidable rod projecting out- Wardly beyond the insulated portion of said cylindrical sleeve and lbeing provided with an insulated head, said cylindrical sleeve being provided with an annular cavity surrounding said slidable rod at a position inwardly of said insulated head, a spring means surrounding said slid-able rod and bearing against the inner portion of said cavity and against the inner end of said insulated head.

3. An electrical connecting system as set forth in claim 2 including a prepunched selector card adapted to be i positioned adjacent one of said pluralities of connector bars in parallel relation thereto, said prepunched card having a plurality of holes therein in alignment with corresponding preselected holes through said connector bars. f

4. An improved electrical connecting system comprising, in combination, a first plurality of parallel connector bars, a second plurality of parallel connector bars arranged transversely and in spaced relation with respect to said first plurality of connector bars, insulating means located between said tirst and'second pluralities of 'connector bars, said connector bars being provided with a plurality of aligned lholes extending through said connector bars at locations where said bars pass opposite to one another, a plurality of shorting plugs for connecting any one of the bars of said ilrst plurality of bars with any one of the bars of said second plurality of bars, each said shorting plug comprising a cylindrical and electrically conductive sleeve adapted to t into a hole of one of said bars and to extend at least partly into the corresponding aligned hole in said insulating means, said cylindrical sleeve having a central bore extending therethrough, an electrically conductive rod slidably received in the central bore of such cylindrical sleeve and having at its inner end an abutment projecting through the corresponding aligned hole in a transverse connector bar and contacting said transverse connector bar, said cylindrical sleeve having an outwardly extending insulated portion, the outer end of said slidable rod projecting outwardly beyond the insulated portion of said cylindrical sleeve and being provided with an insulated head, said cylindrical sleeve being provided with an annular cavity surrounding said slidable rod at a position inwardly of said insulated head, a spring means surrounding said slidable rod and bearing, at one end, against the inner portion of said cavity and, at its outer end, against the inner end of said insulated head.

5. An electrical connecting system as set forth in claim 4 including a prepunched Aselector card adapted to be positioned adjacent one of said pluralities of connector bars in parallel relation thereto, said prepunched card having a plurality of holes therein in alignment with corresponding preselected holes through said connector bars.

6. An improved electrical connecting system comprising, in combination, a iirst plurality of vertically extending parallel connector Abars arranged in a iirst substantially vertical plane, a second plurality of horizontally extending parallel connector bars arranged in a second substantially vertical plane spaced with respect to said first vertical plane, insulating means located between said first and second pluralities of connector bars, said connector bars being provided with a plurality of aligned holes extending horizontally therethrough at locations where said vertical bars pass opposite to said horizontal bars, a plurality of snorting plugs for connecting any one of said horizontal lbars with any one of said vertical bars, each said shorting plug comprising a cylindrical and electrically conducting sleeve adapted to fit into a hole of one of said horizontal bars and to extend at least partly into the corresponding aligned hole in said insulating means, said cylindrical sleeve having a central bore extending horizontally therethrough, an electrically conductive rod slidably received in the central bore of said cylindrical sleeve and in electrical contact therewith, said rod having at its inner end an abutment projecting through the corresponding aligned hole in the vertical connector bar and contacting said vertical connector bar, said cylindrical sleeve having an outwardly extending insulated portion, the outer end of said slidable rod projecting outwardly beyond the insulated portion of said cylindrical sleeve and being provided with an insulated head, said cylindrical sleeve being provided with an annular cavity surrounding said slidable rod at a position inwardly of said insulated head, a spring means surrounding said slidable rod and bearing, at one end, against the inner portion of said cavity and, at its outer end, against the inner end of said insulated head.

7. An electrical connecting system as set forth in claim 6 including a prepunched selector card adapted to fbe positioned adjacent one of said pluralities of connector bars in parallel relation thereto, said prepunched card having a plurality of holes therein in alignment with corresponding preselected holes through said connector bars.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

